Shantou

Shantou grew with its port. The qilou arcade blocks around Small Park recall a century of trading prosperity, and the Qiaopi museum preserves the era of overseas remittance letters.

For many travelers, the soul of Shantou is on the table: beef hotpot, late-night congee, rice-noodle breakfasts from dawn to midnight.

The city is best understood on foot and by taste: eat your way through the old quarters, catch the sea breeze on Binhai Road at dusk, and leave the night for the wok-fire of open-air food stalls.